Cinderella Ichihime style
by PrincessOfAngels
Summary: Orihime's life has been a living hell since she can remember...all she can think about is getting away from her horrid family. One evening will change her life forever..along with a certain orange haired boy. Rated T for a bit of language!


"What are you doing!? Don't you know that the dishes should've been washed AGES ago?"

Orihime looked up fearfully at her stepsister, her body shaking. Aoiko, her atrocious stepsister, slapped her sharply across her cheek, knocking Orihime into the table. The force shook the table, sending the vase tumbling to the floor, breaking the beautiful container into dangerous shards. "Clean this mess up! Or you'll have double the work tomorrow!" Aoiko smirked when Orihime whispered a small "Yes sister" and began to clean the floor. -If only I was in a different home with kinder sisters and a sweeter mother, then maybe I would be the one giving orders..- She thought as she put the larger pieces of the broken vase into her pale hands."Aoiko!" Schreeched an unpleasent voice that belonged to a much more unpleasant girl. "Aoi, you wench! Stealing my hair oranaments like that! And-" Aoiko cupped her hand over her sister's mouth. "Relax. Mother is getting you new ones, Akane. Just shut up." Akane gave a rude "hmph" and turned her attention to Orihime. "You!" She pointed her finger at her, eyes smoldering. "Why did you break Mother's vase?! She'll wring your scrawny neck for that!" Orihime began shaking again, and stood. "Akane, I h-hadn't m-meant t-to....a-Aoiko h-had punished me f-for being late on my chores, a-and m-my clumsiness made m-me break the vase..." She murmured, her eyes downcast. Akane and Aoiko "hmphed" in unison, their eyes rolling simutaniously. "Excuses, excuses! It matters not how you managed to break something precious again, Orihime. It only matters that you clean up the damned mess so I don't harm my fragile feet." Aoiko said, stepping past her on her toes. "If Mother sees you this way, she may even triple your work tomorrow. She might send you to the fields with all the poor peasants." She said, crouching down to her. "You don't want to look like peasant, do you?" Orihime shook her head no, scared to open her mouth and speak. Aoiko slapped her cruelly across her face, much harder than before. "Too bad, little sister! You already look like a common peasant!" Akane laughed. "More like the common SLUT, sister Aoiko! Come, let's return to our rooms. Orihime's ugliness may rub off on us if we stay too long." The girls flipped their hair behind them, walking upstairs as poor Orihime began cleaning again.

The door banged open as their Mother walked in curtly. "Orihime." She said, taking long strides to her. "Where is the vase?" Orihime looked down from the woman's icy cold eyes. "Look at me when I'm talking to you!" Her Mother snarled, yanking her hair upwards, taking her head along with them. "Mother, I'm so-sorry! I a-accidently h-hit t-the table and the v-vase fell over!" She stammered, tears falling down her cheeks. "I feed you, I clothe you. I give you a nice home, and you repay me by breaking the only material possesion I value!" Rei, the mother, pushed Orihime into the wall, her eyes fiery. "You will clean the entire house tomorrow and do yardwork! You don't get lunch and dinner, either. Go up into your room, and leave me be. Don't you even think about bothering your sisters! you're a selfish, evil, spitefull demon, Orihime! You will burn in the underworld if you continue this way." Orihime began crying silently as she walked into the attic, the only place she had a bit of solitude. When she had stopped crying, she noticed that Rei was telling Aoiko and Akane something. She pressed her ear against the door, straining to hear. When she couldn't, she took a risk, walking silently down the stairs. Orihime stopped halfway, knowing that they couldn't see her. "Girls, I have the pleasure to announce the Kurosaki Ichigo, the Prince of Karakura, is old enough to marry. Since he has no particular interest in girls yet, the king has a ball going on tonight. Prince Ichigo is to dance with every girl, and whoever he feels that he had the most fun with, he will marry. It's YOUR job to get to him first, and to get him to have the most fun with you!" Rei said, grinning. "I have already arranged a carriage and escort. All we need now is to go shopping for elegant dresses and such. Dont' bother telling Orihime, she won't be coming." She smirked slightly, walking out the door with her two squealing daughters. "Prince Ichigo is going to marry...?" She whispered, running down the stairs and sitting in chair nearby a window. "No! He can't...I..." Orihime looked down. "I love him, and if he marries....I won't have a chance." She starting crying loudly, and shaking in despair. "This isn't fair!"

Uryuu Ishida, a rich archer as well as being a part-time wizard, happened to be walking past that weeping girl at the window. noticing her tears, he became quite melancholy himself, finding that even though he didn't know the cause of her crying, it was depressing to see. "A girl that young has no business being that sad." He said thoughtfully, and knocked on the door. "Excuse me!" Exclaimed Uryuu, "I would like to come in." Slowly, Orihime wiped her tears away, forcing on a fake, but happy smile. "What do you need, sir?" She asked when she opened the door. She stood to the side to let him in. He walked in, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Tell me...what is your name?" "Inoue Orihime." She said softly, sitting in her chair by the window. "Orihime...I noticed you crying when I walked by a second ago. I want to know why." More tears brimmed up to her eyes, falling over her pale cheeks like rivers. "b-Because my sisters and mother are practically demons to me, and they're going to the ball to marry Prince  
Ichigo and I'm not allowed to go, and I love him!" Orihime said in one breath as she covered her face in her hands. Uryuu turned his head away from her, not wanting to see her tears. "Orihime, you musn't tell anyone about these." He said, pulling out a small blue box. "a-About what...?" She asked, calming a little. "These hairpins are called Shun Shun Rikka. They will grant you wishes if your heart is pure. If you are not pure of heart, they will not stay in your hair." Orihime nodded, placing the two pins in her hair fearfully. The Shun Shun Rikka stayed in, twinkling beautifully against her auburn locks. Uryuu gave a rare smile, and placed the box on the table. "They should help you if your are to marry Prince Ichigo." He said, and was about to walk out the door, but Orihime grabbed his hand. "Wait..what is your name, kind sir?" "Uryuu Ishida. and please, do not call me sir." Uryuu replied, and walked away swiftly, leaving an incredibly giddy Orihime.

Orihime ran into her room, and put the Shun Shun Rikka on her table. "Oh, dear Shun Shun Rikka, will you please show yourself?" She asked, and nearly fell out of her chair when the hairpins transformed into llittle..people! "Hiya! And who might you be?" Questioned the blond of the six of them. "I'm Inoue Orihime...but shouldn't I be asking you all that?" The blond one started to laugh. "i'm Shonou, that's Hinagiku," Shonou pointed to what seemed to look like an old man. "That's Ayame," Shonou pointed to a shy looking purple haired girl. "There's Baigon," He was tanned, and muscular. "Lily," Her finger pointed to the pink haired girl with the strange eye piece. "And Tsubaki, the always mean and rude guy with no sense of humour." That was accompanied by a dark growl from him. Shonou flew up to Orihime's face. "Don't tell anyone, but I think he likes Ayame." Another growl, but not as loud. "Anyway, we're here to grant any wish you may have, Orihime. What do you need?" Orihime gave a tiny smile. "There's a ball tonight and-" "Done!" Shonou cut her off, and clapped her hands. "Come on you guys, Orihime here needs a fancy outfit for the ball, a carriage, and an escort! Hurry hurry, it's tonight!" Lily flitted around, the sparkled coming from her arranged into a familiar way. Soon, it all came together, a gorgeous blue dress. "Lily...it's..beautiful." Ayame said softly, as she worked on the shoes and stocking. "Well, Shun Shun Rikka dust IS the best for making dresses, stockings, and shoes, don't you think Orihime?" Lily asked, and she only nodded. "Oi! Woman!" Tsubaki yelled, flying in through the window. "I got your damn carriage." Hinagiku shook his head. "WE got the carriage, and through an unfortunate turn of events, it seems as though Tsubaki has to be your escort." Tsubaki groaned. "It's bad enough having to serve this clueless woman, and her brainless head." Orihime smiled, using one finger to pat his head. Tsubaki grumbled something about biting her finger off as he stalked towards Ayame. "How's everything else comin' along?" He asked. "It seems as though Baigon has the horses, Lily has finished the dress, and I have finished as well." She said in a small voice. "Oh thank you all! I'll be able to go to the ball and everything!" "You must listen, Orihime." Hinagiku said. "our magic does not last forever. You must return home at exactly midnight, or everyone will know your true identity." Lily smacked Hinagiku's head. "You just have to ruin EVERYONE's fun, don't you, Hinagiku!?"

Orihime fidgeted nervously in the carriage. "What if he doesn't like me, Tsubaki?" She asked. "He'd better like you, or I'll rip of his head." She shuddered at his response. "Do you have to be that extreme?" "After all the work we did, something good had better come from the ball, or your prince will have hell to pay." Orihime sighed, and looked through the window separating the carriage space from the driver. "Your human form is quite handsome, Tsubaki." "you're starting to sound like Ayame." She giggled, still wondering how in the world all this happened. "We're here." His voice snapped her out of her thoughts. He walked around the carriage, and opened the door. "Bye, Tsubaki-kun." Orihime said, and he just rolled his eyes. "Remember, midnight." He said, taking the carriage somewhere, she didn't know. He returned to her hairpins just as he had promised, though. Orihime walked down the steps into the ballroom, scared to death but happy at the same time. "There he is!" She thought excitedly.

Ichigo groaned. "Dad, I hate you." He thought, as he looked at was seemed like billions of girls in the ballroom. "How the hell am I supposed to dance with all of them!?" Came another thought, and he scanned the room for anyone particuarly interesting, which he doubted. His eyes kept wandering to this ginger-haired, petite girl, which Ichigo couldn't understand. "What's so interesting 'bout her anyway, Ichigo?" Princess Karin, his sister, asked. "You keep staring at her. Just dance with her and get it over with." He sighed, knowing that she was right. He still didn't like the sound of it though. "Go on, Ichigo. She won't bite you, she looks exceptionally kind. " Princess Yuzu piped in, smiling at him. "You have to get a wife sooner or later, so let it be her. She's the prettiest, you have to admit it." "Okay, okay, I'll go dance with her. Get off my ass about it." He said rudely, and walked towards her. Orihime's eyes grew wide, trying to convince herself that he's going to dance with someone else, someone that must be much more beautiful than her...

"May I have this dance?" Ichigo's voice rang throughout her mind, and she took his awaiting hand. "O-Of course, Prince Ichigo..." She said softly, and gasped faintly when he wrapped his arm around her waist. His eyebrows furrowed in what seemed to be concern. "You don't like it when I touch you, miss?" He asked, loosening his grip. "I just..um, I...I've never danced with anyone before.." Ichigo gave a rare smile to her. "I'll go slowly with you. I'll be leading." He said, his hardened grip returning around her waist as he spun her around the dance floor elegantly. "Look, Karin, look how happy brother is!" Yuzu exclaimed, smiling. "He's....SMILING at her! She must be the one he must marry!"

"Look at that wench, dancing with OUR Ichigo." Aoiko said, crossing her arms. "Say...don't you think that the slut looks a lot like Orihime, doesn't she..?" Akane said. "Nah...Orihime doesn't have anything expensive like that. Or hairpins. She doesn't smile, either, remember? No matter what." Aoiko replied, shifting her weight to one foot. "It doesn't matter, she's still all over our Ichigo."

Ichigo's heartbeat sped up as he looked into her grey orbs. "W-What's your name?" He stuttered out, surprising himself that he even stuttered in the first place. Orihime was about to tell him, but the giant clock striked 12.

Midnight.

She gasped. "I'm sorry, but, Prince, I have to leave." Orihime said, running towards the exit. "Wait!" He grabbed her wrist, but she wriggled free, mixing in with all the other girls and out the door. She ran into the carriage, where Tsubaki drove her home as fast as the horses could run. When the last ring of the giant tower clock in town, all of the magic faded, everything turning into Shun Shun Rikka dust...

She burst through the door, running up into the attic, nearly collapsing onto her bed. Orihime reached to take her hairpins out, but only felt one. She kept telling herself that it was surreal, not happening. "Shun Shun Rikka come out!" The 6 of them came out obidently, looking tired. "You lost the other half...half our power is gone, Orihime." Ayame said softly, rubbing at her eyes. "You've...." Shonou yawned in the middle of the sentence. "Gotta find it. Half of our power won't keep us going for long. We've already used so much magic in getting you to the ball and providing everything else for you." Shonou sat down, nearly falling asleep. "You guys can return and rest. I will get the other half." Orihime said, and put the hairpin in it's box. She glanced down at her tattered clothes, wishing for that sparkling dress again.

"I have got to find her!" "Sir, you don't understand. If you don't know her name, many women could dress up as her an-" Ichigo stalked towards the messenger, taking a fistful of his shirt into his hand, hoisting him up into the air. "I don't care what the hell it takes. I will find her, and marry her. No matter how long it takes." Ichigo threw him down, and walked downstairs, growling. "Where are you going, Ichigo?" Isshin asked, walking towards him. "To find my goddamn wife." He said, walking out the door hastily. Mounted upon his horse, Ichigo galloped into the town, looking for Orihime, the hairpin tucked into his pocket. All the young girls ran outside, just Ichigo expected. "Oh Ichigo! Marry me!" Half of them shouted. "No me!" "Dont' pick her, I love you Ichigo!" "In a straight line, women!" He shouted over top of them. Almost immediately, the women got into single file, awaiting for what their "love" wanted to tell them.

Orihime peeked out her window, wondering what was going on, and why almost all the girls where in a straight line stretching as far as the eye could see. "Mother, Ichigo is outside! Can we go, too?!" Akane asked excitedly. "Of course." The two sisters squealed, running outside and into the line. Rei walked up the stairs silently, and locked Orihime's door. The only problem with her plan of starving Orihime was that she had a window and many bedsheets....

Hastily, she tied the bedsheets together. "Come on, come on, I have to get there." Orihime said, tying faster. "There!" Orihime tucked the hairpin Shun Shun Rikka into her hair. She threw the bedsheet rope out the window, and, even though she was completely scared to, climbed down the side of her house.

Ichigo glanced past all the women, and saw something auburn. He gave a confused look, wondering what it was. He noticed that it was getting closer, shoving past people. His eyes grew wide. "Y-You're...that girl from last night..." "P-Prince Ichigo! Prince Ichigo!" She called. "Move, girls, make room for her." He commanded, the girls doing exactly what he said. "Orihime go back home!" Aoiko said, throwing a rock at her. Many of the other girls followed suit. "Stop it!" Ichigo growled, and they immediately stopped, their eyes looking down. "Prince Ichigo...I have the matching hairpin." She said, pulling the Shun Shun Rikka, and holding it out to him. Ichigo got off his horse, walking towards her. "This is surreal" He thought. "She's found me...I can finally love her.."

He fished through his pocket, and pulled out her hairpin. "Here." He said, putting into her hair for her. Orihime smiled up at him. "Who's going to be your wife, Prince Ichigo?" "Well," Ichigo started. "She's got auburn hair, grey eyes, two blue hairpins, and she's on a horse." He said, picking her up gently and setting her on the back of the horse. He climbed on in front of her, holding the reins firmly in his hands. "I never did catch your name last night." He said, despite all the of heartbroken looks he was getting. "I'm Orihime Inoue." Ichigo turned the horse around, making it run towards the palace. "You mean Orihime Kurosaki."


End file.
